King v. United States Department of Veterans Affairs
728 F.3d 410
5th Cir.2013Background
- King, a FTCA plaintiff, seeks compensatory damages for loss of benefits allegedly caused by VA negligence and malice.
- VA terminated King’s benefits in 2007 due to a Defense Base Act interaction misunderstanding, then retroactively reinstated at 100% in March 2008.
- King filed an administrative claim in 2010 and sued the VA in 2011 for state-law tort claims after no response.
- District court dismissed under Rule 12(b)(1), holding VJRA barred jurisdiction and sovereign immunity barred FTCA claims.
- King argued APA provided jurisdiction; district court rejected, noting APA does not waive money-damages sovereign immunity.
- Court reviews de novo dismissal for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction and affirms the district court.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Does the VJRA bar district-court jurisdiction? | King claims not all FTCA claims challenge benefits decisions. | VA benefits denials are subject to exclusive review under VJRA. | VJRA bars jurisdiction; claims amount to challenges to VA benefits decisions. |
| Does the APA provide an independent basis for jurisdiction? | APA provides jurisdiction for constitutional and statutory claims. | APA does not waive sovereign immunity for money damages in FTCA context. | APA does not establish jurisdiction for money-damages FTCA claims; jurisdiction not present. |
Key Cases Cited
- Dambach v. United States, 211 F. App’x 105 (3d Cir. 2006) (FTCA claims challenging VA benefits decisions fall outside district court jurisdiction)
- Price v. United States, 228 F.3d 420 (D.C. Cir. 2000) (section 511 forecloses review of VA actions; bad faith negligence questions require proper handling of benefits)
- Weaver v. United States, 98 F.3d 518 (10th Cir. 1996) (district court properly dismissed conspiracy, fraud, and misrepresentation claims seeking review of benefits)
- Zuspann v. Brown, 60 F.3d 1156 (5th Cir. 1995) (exclusive review procedure for veterans’ benefits under VJRA)
- Thomas v. Principi, 394 F.3d 970 (D.C. Cir. 2005) (distinguishes claims not challenging VA handling of benefits)
- Cortes Castillo v. Veterans Admin., 433 F. Supp. 2d 221 (D.P.R. 2006) (agency-negligence claims not necessarily barred where not challenging benefit handling)